But it has returned to Bala for three days to be exhibited at Byd Mary Jones, an interpretation centre established in a church on the outskirts of the town.

The historic Mary Jones Bible

Today it toured primary schools in the Bala area.

At Ysgol Bro Tegid, close to the chapel where Rev Thomas Charles was minister, children listened attentively as Mary Thomas, secretary of the Bala and Penllyn Bible Society, and the guardian of the Bible Dr Onesimus Ngundu, a native of Zimbabwe, told the Bible’s story.

Mrs Thomas said Mary Jones had saved money by doing odd jobs from the age of nine to buy herself a Bible.

When she had saved enough she walked the 26 miles barefoot to Bala to buy a Bible from Rev Charles.

But when she arrived at Charles’ home in Bala’s High Street she discovered all had been sold. Moved by Mary’s efforts Rev Charles sold her his copy and her story inspired him to help set up the Bible society.

She showed the children the notes made by Mary Jones in the Bible. They referred to verses she had read and sermons heard by visiting ministers to her chapel.

“It is an invaluable record of the period,” she said.

Children at Ysgol Bro Tegid, Bala are shown the Mary Jones Bible

Dr Ngundu said the establishment of the society led to countless copies being translated, produced and distributed.

He said: “People from all over the world visit Cambridge to see Bibles in their own language. We have more than 41,000 Bibles in about 3,000 languages.

“But I always draw people’s attention to Mary Jones’s Bible by emphasising that they wouldn’t have the Bible in their native language without this unique Bible.

“Her story is better known in foreign parts than it is here.”

One child at Bro Tegid asked him if he had read the Bible.

“Not this one as it is written in the Welsh language,” he said.

Another wanted to know why Mary Jones’ Bible was not kept at Bala permanently.

Dr Ngundu said security issues meant it had to be kept in a secure location.